DMV: No more stickers for vehicle inspections

The familiar windshield inspection sticker is on its way to becoming a thing of the past. The North Caro-lina Division of Motor Vehicles launched its new electronic inspection program Nov. 1.

Meanwhile, the cost of safety-only inspections has increased from $9.10 to $13.60. The cost of emissions inspections remains $30.

Vehicles that undergo an emissions or safety inspection will now no longer receive a windshield sticker. The vehicle's inspection will be synchronized to be due the same month as the vehicle's registration renewal each year.

Synchronizing inspection and registration dates is expected to increase compliance with the state's inspection program and help benefit North Caro-lina's air quality and highway safety, DMV officials said. Over the synchronization period, no vehicle will have to be inspected more than once in a 12-month period.

As part of the new program, safety and emissions inspection stations will enter inspection results into the DMV vehicle registration database. Vehicle owners will be able to renew their registration only after their vehicle has been inspected. At the program's start, nearly 7,000 safety and emissions inspection stations will be connected to the database.

For more information about the new inspection program check the DMV Web site at www.ncdot.gov/dmv under "No More Sticker!" or by calling 1-888-999-3044.